Marc Ziss

Z Consulting

marc@zconsulting.com

ASP.NET Dynamic Data

Code Name 'Oryx' Web application scaffolding

Easy to dynamically display pages based on the data model of the underlying database

Easy to edit data for admin appsHelps in prototyping systems quicklyOut of the box simple to use or can be very

customized

What is it?

Uses LINQ to SQL to build a Data model.Uses DynamicData Controls to build editable

screens.Builds in Paging, Sorting, Filtering, and

Validation automatically.Dynamic Data fields for rendering individual

data types.Allows a great deal of customization.

What does it do ?

Let's do it

ASP.NET 3.5 Extensions CTP

(http://www.asp.net/Downloads/3.5-extensions)

Visual Studio 2008

What do I need to use it?

Subsonic (free)Django (free but Python)ASP RunnerIron Speed Designer

Products that are similar

ASP.NET 3.5 Extensions CTP has a lot in itASP.NET Dynamic DataADO.NET Data Services (formerly codename

Astoria)ASP.NET Model View Controller ApplicationsASP.NET AJAX

Managing Browser History Using Server Controls ASP.NET Silverlight contolsADO.NET Entity Framework

What comes in the box?

ListTemplate.aspx - Grid to edit inline or call from a link to a detail page.

DetailsTemplate.aspx – Edit one record on a page.

ListDetailsTemplate – Both a grid and an a detail editor (default).

Same Routing engine as MVC.

Built in Dynamic Data Pages

Let's look @ the templates + Web.config

DynamicGridView

DynamicDetailsView

DynamicFormView

DynamicListView

Dynamic View Controls

DynamicField - Automatically knows what mode Dynamic view is in (Edit, Item, Insert) for use with DynamicGridView DynamicDetailsView

DynamicControl, DynamicEditControl, and DynamicInsertControl – Dynamic fields to be used with templated view controls Template columns in a DynamicGridView DynamicFormViewDynamicListView

Dynamic controls

Customizations as easy as making a new partial class.

Allows unique behavior for a particular table

Trick out my grid

DisplayFormat - formats for currency, dates, etc…

DisplayColumn – Allows a text column other than the 2nd column in the fk to describe the ID

Formatting by decorating

Demo using formatting attributes

[Range("UnitsInStock",10,50, ErrorMessage="Must be between {1} and {2}")]

[Required("ContactName", ErrorMessage = "Contact name is required.")]

[Regex(“ssn", "[0-9][a-z][0-9]", ErrorMessage = "Needs to be formatted as 'number letter number'")]

Validation by decoration

Demo using validation attributes

LINQ to SQL classes are generated with hooks for events that are normally not implemented

Lightweight event notification

New feature new to .NET 3.5 called partial methods

Like partial classes, but used to extend methods that may or may not be implemented in class instance (can be seen in Northwind.designer.cs)

Validation by notification

Demo validation using partial method

By default Dynamic Data Fields try to match the rendering of a control with one of the built in Control Templates:Boolean.ascxBoolean_Edit.ascxDateTime.ascxDateTime_Edit.ascxInteger_Edit.ascxDecimal_Edit.ascxMany More

Built in Control templates

Simple .ascx filesWhen code is modified all controls behavior

will be affected globally.Can perform global validation here as wellExample Calendar

Replacing Built in Control templates

Look @ the templates and modify one

[RenderHint] enables you to build a custom control that can be explicitly linked to a field.

Simple as validationBecause it is a user control there can be

multiple controls that can speak to each other.

Can use Ajax Toolkit to use helpful extenders right out of the box

Customized controls work regardless of which view is beieng used (i.e. DynamicGridView, DynamicListView, etc…)

Customization by decoration

Make our own custom control (courtesy of David

Ebbo)

Don’t have to work with a Page Template we can build stand alone pages that use dynamic data

Requires a little more work.Need to make some manual changes…for

now

Look Ma; no PageTemplates!!!

Newest template based control has dynamic counterpart.

Has the benefits of a GridView, but allows full control of rendering.

Interesting wizards to help setup the template in interesting ways.

The ListView Rocks!!!

Roll our own ListView Page

David Ebbo: http://blogs.msdn.com/davidebb/archive/2007/12/12/dynamic-data-screencast-is-now-available.aspx

Brad Abrams: http://blogs.msdn.com/brada/archive/2007/12/13/asp-net-3-5-extensions-all-about-dynamic-data.aspx

David Hayden: http://davidhayden.com/blog/dave/

Scott Guthrie: http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2007/12/14/new-asp-net-dynamic-data-support.aspx

Links

Q +A